GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2596, 20 July 1876, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[From thk Press Agency.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, July 19. Tho House mot at 2.30 p.m. miscellaneous. Mr Stevens asked what wero the respective contributions of tho Provinoes to the Consolidated Fund during tho year ending Juno 80 last. The Premier said ho oould not give the information askod for at onoo, as ho did not think any Treasurer oould carry tho figuros relating fco nine Provinoes in his head, but if fcho hon member would formally move for fche information, a return would bo prepared for him. Mr Curtis askod if the Treasurer would furnish fcho House wifch an approximate estimate of the probable liabilities of eaoh Province, for whioh ifc is intondod to mako provision by tho proposed loan of £760,000. Tho Premier said if tho hon gonfcloman would writo him a letter, asking for tho information required, ho would send it to the Treasury and have it proparod in duo course. In reply to Mr Wood, Tho Premier said that tho Government did not intend that Session to endeavour to effeot any ohanges in tho Constitution of tho othor branch of the Legislature. A fortnight's loave of absonoo was granted to Mr Taiaroa. Tho Timaru Gas, Coal, and Coko Company's Bill was read a third time. On tho motion of Mr Hamlin, it was agreed fco furnish a Return of all seotions of land in tho Auokland Provinoe granted to religious denominations, wifch all particulars as to' its size and location. Mr Larnaoh moved that a Return bo laid boforo tho Houso, spooifying tho sums of money spent and being oxpended in tho oonsfcruotion and ropairs of Government Buildings throughout the Colony sinoo July 1, 1870 ; said Rofcurn to state fche purposes for whioh ony building was erooted, and purposes for whioh ifc was now usod, also to show in detail tho amount spent and being oxpondod for the abovo purposes in eaoh Province in eaoh year sinoe fche date named. Tho Hon E. W. Richardson said tho Government had no objeotion whatever, but fche return would bo vory diflloulfc to mako out, and could not bo dono beforo six weeks. If the Houso dosired ifc would be prepared. Motion was agroed to. HYPOTHECATION OV DEBENTURES. Ms? Reader Wood moved— "That thoro be laid before the Houso oopios of all correspondence and telegrams in 'connection wifch the salo or hypothooation of a million and a quarter of unguaranteed debentures." Tho Premier said it was not considered desirable at the present timo to produoo tho correspondence. At the request of tho Loan Agents this oorrospondenee was made confidential, and it was particularly asked that subsequent lottors reoeived from thom should be confidential ; and it was probable, ovon at a fufcuro time, that they would still be considered confidential. On that information he trusted fche motion would be withdrawn. A lottor was roooived yesterday stating that, pending tho arrival at homo of tho authority to hypothecate tho short-dated debentures, an arrangement had beon made to borrow ono million on unguaranteed debentures. As soon as tho authority roaohod Homo, fcho negotiation would bo oarriod out. Ho might say, for tho information of tho Houso, that tho torms woro favourable to the Colony, as tho amount to bo borrowed need not be placed in sums of less than £50,000 at five por oont, to be paid twelve months from the roepootivo dates of borrowing. Mr Macandrew said thafc as tho information askod for might, if f urnishod, involve tho publio intorost, he thought; after tho information givon by fcho Treasurer, tho motion should be withdrawn. Mr Stout thought If tho Government did not produoo this correspondence, they ought i to givo the Houso suoh information as to oaso ! their minds with regard to oortain efcorios that had beon ia circulation at Homo, in regard to our finanoial arrangomonts. The motion was withdrawn. BOUNDARIES OV COUNTIES. t Tho Hon B. W. Richardson movod that a Soloofc Commifcfcco of fifteen mombors bo appointed fco oonsider fcho proposod boundaries of oounties for tho Middle Island, and to mako recommendations thoroon, six to bo a quorum 5 tho Committee fco oonsist of Messrs tiarff, Bastings, Curtis, Harper, Henry, Macandrew, Mandera, Stafford, W. Wood, Wooloook and tho movor, Mr Macandrew thought the motion premature Ifc would bo time onough to do what was aekod for, whon fcho eooond roading of fcho Bill came on. Tho Government had no right fco tako ifc for grantod that tho Houso would aooonfc their Bill afc all. Mr ROLLKBTON also objoctod, and prodicted a great deal of opposition to a BUI from fche Chairmen of Road Boards, who would show it through their representatives. He was woll aware of a great doal of dissatisfaction against tho Bill. Mr Delatour objected to tho formation of fcho Committee. Mr D. Reid also opposod the proposal as premature and altogether inexpedient. It was a signal instance of fcho inability of the Govornmont to doal with local questions requiring local knowledge, notwithstanding all the oare and attention thoy had bestowed upon tho question. It was another illustration

that the people knew best how to manage their own affairs.

Mr Mandbbs supported the formation of tho Committee as likely to be most useful. Sir R. Douglas objeoted to the composition of tho Committee.

Mr Thomson also objeoted, adding that the Counties were altogether too large. Messrs Hodgkinson and Fisebb objeoted. Mr R. Wood considered it an unusual course to remit a Bill of this kind to a Select Committee, before its prinoiple was affirmed. Until its prinoiple was so afiurmed, he would oppoeo any suoh resolutions. He understood tho Government were not going to go on with any politioal business before the motions givon notice of the evening before. But what wero they doing now f These motions were olearly political. He ventured to tell the Government, that if they asked tho House to pass a resolution approving gonorally of their finanoial polioy, they could not pass suoh a resolution, and if thoy doubted him, he dared them to do it. Mr Gibbb would not oppose the formation of the Oommittee, but still thought it would be useless.

Mr Lumsden objected to the motion. Mr Ptke was at a loss to understand the opposition to the resolution! There were only two ways fco dooido the matter. Either the House had to dooide, as a whole, how the boundaries should bo laid out, er else they had to refer tho matter to a Select Oommittee. It appeared to him there were two principles to be takon into aooount in deoiding a question of this kind : First, that persons resident in the county should have a community of interest j and, seoond, that, as far as possible, the boundaries should be limited by a watershed.

On tho motion of Mr Maoandbbw the debate was adjourned till after the seoond reading of the Counties Bill, the Government offering no objeotion. A similar motion roferring to the North Island was also adjourned in the same way. Mr Seaton moved — [There is here an evident omission in our telogram.] Tho Hon H. A. Atkinson said there was no objeotion to supply all the information necessary to obtain a fair knowledge of the wholo oiroumstanoes of the oase.

THE VEBEY BTBWABT SETTLEMENT.

Sir George Grey wished to know whether certain settlers in the Yesoy Stewart settlement were to be allowod land for the land orders grantod them by Mr Farnall while at home as Immigration Agent. The case of these people was one of great hardship. The hon BT. A. Atkinson said the case was somewhat oomplioated, and he would like the hon member to move in the matter in the ordinary way, and got the question disoussed upon its merits. Mr Farnall had no authority from tho Gonoral Government to issue land orders, though ho believed those that were issued were under the authority of the Provinoial Government. Mr R. Wood said that Mr Farnall's only authority was a telegram reoeived from Messrs Gillies and Sheehan. He said there was a misapprehension in the case, as he believed Mr Farnall had authority to issue land orders, but that as soon as the mistake was discovered the authority was revoked. ministerial statement. Before going on with the orders of the day, the Premier made the following etatoment of the intentions of tho Government with reepeot to tho resolutions given notice of by the mombers for Waikato and Geraldine : — He did not desire to argue the question, or to raise a disouesion with respect to the resolutions of the member for Geraldine. If oarried they would not give the Consolidated Revenue bo largo an amount as would be reoeived under the Government proposals, bo that the resolutions of the hon member had not even expedienoy to reoommend them. With respect to the resolution of the member for Waikato, the samo objeotion oould not be urged, beoauee it proposed that everything should be taken. With respeot to both resolutions the conclusion the Government had arrived at was that ifc would offer its unqualified opposition to them, inasmuoh as they traversed the proposals of Government. They would, however, try to give to eaoh hon member the fullest facilities for taking disoussion on their resolutions. Ho hoped the tablos and papers required would be on tho tablo early next week. Although it would be quito consistent for Government, with theso resolutions hanging over them, to dooline to go on with any business until these resolutions were disposed of, they would study tho convenience of mombers, and would proceed as far as possible with ordinary busi* noss in tho meanwhile MISCELLANEOUS. The Canterbury Eduoation Reserves Leasing Bill was read a seoond time. The South Dunedin and St. Kilda Municipality Bill passed. CANTERBURY PASTORAL LEASES. Mr Wason moved the seoond reading of tho Canterbury Pastoral Leasing Bill, and expressed his diffidence in addressing the House upon a Bill whioh he beliovod would bo opposed by most of the Canterbury mem* bors. The hon member then proceeded briefly to oxplain tho provisions of tbe Bill, whioh provides for tho Waste Lands Board offering for salo by auction the pastoral licenses nofc less than one nor more than two years beforo May 1, 1880, tho highest bidder to be fcho purchaser, and to be entitled to receive a lioonso for a term of years; free solootions, not to bo interfered with ; valuaafcion to be paid by the inooming tenant ; upset prioo of such lands to be fixed at sixpenoe per acre, and back oountry, and the Waste Lands Board to deoide, before tho day of sale, what shall be considered front country, and what baok; and fchafc on or boforo 1880, pre-omptivo right shall coase. Tho hon gentleman was interrupted, the hour of 5,30 having arrived.

(From a Corrosponcttmt of the Lyttelton Times.) Wellington, July 19. Tho unoxpootodly firm attitude of the Govornmont re Messrs Whitakor'sand Wakefield's land proposals caused some surprise, many pooplo having bolieved that Mr Whitaker was aoting in oonoert with the Govornmont. Itissaid that ho showod them that hie proposal oould be oarriod if thoy would support it, but they deolined. Even as it is, many of their followers will probably vote for Mr Whitaker's proposal. Mr Wakefield's usual assooiateß now disavow all conneotion with his proposals, whioh have boen mado entiroly on his own responsibility. Mr Stevens says openly he will support the Government proposals. What the outoamo of ifc all will be no one can toll. ' Ifc is said fche Legislative Oounoil is likely to givo troublo before the Session ends, by positively ref using their sanction to borrowing another ponny. Both the Argus and Post to<night complain ot the inadequacy of the rot© for Dr leather*

ston's family, and urge that at least another £2000 should be granted, as there are seven unmarried ohildren.

It will probably be the end of next week beforo the real debate on the Government polioy oommenoes, and very little business will be done till thon. Many members ore grumbling awfully at tbe waste of time.